LETTER: Obama does what Nixon only pondered

Sunday

Jun 30, 2013 at 11:02 PM

Those of us who lived through Watergate and the Nixon administration realize in horror that the current administration is actually doing many of the things that Nixon only thought of doing. What will be the next scandal?

The Benghazi coverup was the worst, because four Americans were needlessly murdered when this administration refused to adequately secure our consulate, refused to send help when it was attacked, and then lied about a video to cover it all up.

How about the IRS targeting conservative groups requesting tax-exempt status? Some of these people have been subjected to repeated visits from the IRS, FBI, ATF, OSHA, and EPA. Others have had their tax info publicly divulged. Don’t you wonder if you’re next?

The administration has been looking at phone and email records of reporters at the Associated Press and Fox. At the same time, Obama’s cabinet secretaries have been using fake email names to avoid having to release them for Freedom of Information Act requests.

And, of course, we’re still waiting for a judge to rule in Fast and Furious. When investigators got too close, Eric Holder had the president declare executive privilege to hide all the relevant documents.

The biggest difference between the Watergate years and now is the absence of an impartial and aggressive press willing to investigate a corrupt administration. Woodward and Bernstein would get to the bottom of all these scandals.

JOHN STAFFIER

Westboro

Each week, we’ll select a letter to The People’s Forum, on any topic, that we consider particularly interesting and well-written. The writer will receive an engraved rosewood Telegram & Gazette Letter of the Week pen.